Currently we have ivy growing on our south facing wall which backs onto a railway embankment that has mature tress, brambles, fern s and the like. Amongest the Ivy is a commom Honeysuckle that struggles to florish and has not flowered in the six years we have lived in this property.

Recently the ivy leaves have started to brown and we now hace a fence of dead ivy leaves, but I do not think that the ivy is dying (that would be to good to be true).

Can anyone suggest a solution for covering the unsightly ivy and making a feature of an uninspring fence.

Thank you

26 Aug, 2010

Answers

Why not be brave, rip out all that nasty ivy with as much of the roots as you can (a hands and knees job), and replace with a couple of nice Montana clemetis that will cover the shed in no time. Initially you'll have to keep a close eye on the ivy trying to return, and the area will look a little bare, but once the Montana is everywhere it will all have been worth while!

Southfacing wall/fence in London - the world's your oyster, don't waste such an area by letting ivy grow there. Get the ivy out altogether, anything else you try planting there won't be able to compete with it. Easily said, I know, and much harder to do, but worth it - put trellis or mesh up and grow Tracheleospermum jasminoides, evergreen, fragrant white flowers in summer. Or Campsis grandiflora, fabulous exotic orange trumpet flowers in summer, but deciduous.

Thank you so much for your advice, We were hoping that there was going to be an easier solution than digging up the ivy, but we shall press ahead and take your suggestion. Tracheleospermum jasminoides seems an amazing plant and montana seems an obvious choice. I guess we can grow them together as the fence is large enough to accomodate both.